KOTOR: Redemption's Price
by Arrikazza
Summary: kotor: A scout hired by the Republic forces during a time of war finds herself thrust into things she never expected. Updated- 12-13-04
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. That belongs to George Lucas. I don't own I only own the life of Kaori and the planets and OC's I come up with. Side note that I apologize for not putting up before, I have this posted at another site as well only there I am JMBulldog. So please no shouting that I stole this. My hearing is not the best in the world and shouting in them hurts. :p Thanks. I really should have posted this when I put this up but, me in my absentmindedness forgot :p  
  
I highly recommend that you play the game as this will have spoilers.

* * *

The door creaked open, almost as if the sound wanted to defy the pride in Malak's steps as he entered the Dominator's bridge. His gaze swept past the guardian droids on either side of the opening, past the soldiers at the data terminals, all the way to the very end of the arrow-shaped room. His master, Revan, Dark Lady of the Sith, was watching a small vanguard of Sith fighters flying by the panoramic transparisteel viewport. The small, quick, silver ships were twisting and turning over one another in an intricate pattern. Malak, for a moment, wondered if they knew Revan was watching and were putting on a show. He shook his head. Revan was never one for watching shows. She wanted efficiency, not flashy expressions. That was why he was sure she would be pleased with what he had done. He had secured the loyalty of the former Republic admiral. He had had the man fire on Telos, a somewhat defenseless planet near Dantooine. The planet held no importance to the Sith war effort but Malak was sure his master would overlook that. They now knew Saul Karath would not hesitate long if ordered to bombard another defenseless planet.  
  
"Malak," Revan said, her back to the apprentice. "You have returned."  
  
"Yes, my Master," Malak replied, a pleased grin on his face.  
  
"Tell me," Revan began, tone neutral, "why Telos?"  
  
"Why not?" Malak questioned, a worry edge seeping into his voice. Revan was supposed to be praising his efforts. Instead, Malak could sense that his master was far from pleased. The Sith was furious.  
  
"Why Telos?" Revan repeated, never turning.  
  
"Saul picked the planet," Malak replied. "He said it had to do with his past but would not tell me. I got the sense he wanted to hurt or kill someone specific."  
  
Revan nodded, seemingly accepting that. Malak breathed a small, silent sigh of relief. His shoulders relaxed as he closed the distance between himself and Revan. Oddly the soldiers on either side of the gray plated walkway were watching covertly out the corner of their eyes. To Malak, it seemed they were waiting for something and waiting for it eagerly, and with just a touch of fearfulness. He frowned, wondering just what that was. Revan seemed to accept what he had done, even if he had done it without her knowledge.  
  
Quicker than his eyes could track, the Sith master's saber was in her hand. A blinding stream of ruby red and an intense wave of pain were all that Malak remembered. He raised heavy hands to find his lower jaw gone. He turned unbelieving eyes upon his master as his knees gave way under him and he landed in a heap at Revan's feet.  
  
"Medic!" Revan called impatiently as she knelt next to the injured apprentice. With a voice of durasteel and a grip that belied her small frame, the Master informed the pupil of his folly. "_I_ give the orders, apprentice," she hissed. "Not you. Do not think to step past your rank again. Or you'll lose more than just your lower jaw."  
  
Revan stood as a medical team arrived. She regarded them for a long silent moment before spinning to stare once more out the window. Malak knew what the gesture meant. As far as Revan was concerned, the matter was of no importance and Malak was left to his own devices.  
  
The jawless apprentice jerked away from the two who helped him up, pride demanding he not show weakness - especially in front of Revan. The pain washed over him in agonizing waves but the storm inside in his soul dulled it. He let it spread, let it feed on the intense pain until it was a wildfire of rage devouring all in its path.  
  
_I'll make you pay for that, Revan_, he thought darkly, raising his shield so the thought was not heard by Revan. _One day_ I'll _be the master - and you'll be dead_!

* * *

"Padawan Bastila," Master Vandar said, his tone expressing the gravity of the situation. "We have learned that Revan and Malak will be near Ansion. You will be accompanying Master Rednada Klea and her strike team. Your Battle Meditation will be useful to them."  
  
"As the council wishes," Bastila replied, bowing before the collected Masters.  
  
"You must not fail," Vandar warned. The diminutive Jedi Master stared into Bastila's gray eyes steadily despite the height difference.  
  
"And do not let your head be filled with thoughts of glory," Master Vrook warned, sharply from his place at Vandar's left. The elderly Jedi's face approached a less-than-Jedi-like scowl. "That you do not need."  
  
"Yes, Master," Bastila replied, dutifully.  
  
"May the Force be with you," Vandar said, dismissal clear in his tone.  
  
Bastila bowed once more, spun on her heel, and left the Council chambers. She had much to do and very little time to do it. The strike team left the next morning. She hurried to her quarters to meditate and prepare. She knew she needed to be centered, be focused. She had a feeling she would have to face Revan.

* * *

Bastila heard the bones in the soldier's neck snap under Revan's invisible grip and briefly felt sad for the man's family. The man's wheezing gasps had shivers running down Bastila's spine. She and two other Jedi faced the Sith master bravely. This close to the fallen Jedi, Bastila could feel the sweet pull of the dark side, could hear its soft voice whispering in her ear.  
  
"_Surrender, surrender_."  
  
She shook her head slightly, realizing the dark side's temptation was distracting her and trying to draw her in. She faced Revan. "You cannot win, Revan," she said, pushing the voices out of her head. She stood firm, matching the fallen Jedi's piercing stare.  
  
A blazing warning erupted in the Force, startling all Force-sensitive on board, seconds before a turbolaser bolt from Malak's ship struck the bridge. Bastila was thrown off her feet and landed hard on the deck plating, igniting pain that radiated from her side and her ear. As she went down she saw a data terminal behind Revan explode. Streaking light blinded her to the debris that struck Revan in the back, side, and head.  
  
Bastila struggled to her knees, her breath coming in jagged rasps. She looked over to her fellow Jedi. One was three meters from her, the other was a meter from him. Bastila was happy to see their chests rising and falling with each ragged breath they took. Both were still lying on their backs but both were alive. Bastila turned to Revan, certain that all she would see would be a lifeless body. Gaining her feet slowly and painfully, Bastila made her way over to Revan's body. Grimly she knelt beside it. While she was disappointed that the one who was responsible for all the death and destruction of the war would not be brought to justice, a small part of her delighted in the fact that Revan was dead. Bastila knew the Council's form of justice and she was not certain Revan was entitled to it, not certain at all.  
  
"Bastila," a tired, raspy voice coughed from her right. "Is- i- is Revan -?" the Jedi's voice trailed off, not wanting to finish the question.  
  
Bastila opened her mouth to answer Anor when she felt something in the Force that shocked her. A small flicker of life flared in Revan. Bastila made a rash decision and pounced on the tendril, sustaining it, refusing to allow Revan to die.  
  
"Let Revan go," Anor said, kneeling beside her. "Let the Sith die."  
  
Bastila heard the hatred in Anor's voice but did not comment. Sustaining Revan's life took most of her concentration.  
  
"Jedi do not kill their prisoners," the second Jedi said, coming up on Bastila's left. "Nor do they leave someone to die if they can help."  
  
"Help me," Bastila gasped.  
  
Whatever retort Anor had, died, and Bastila was glad when the two sent her what strength they could as they picked Revan up and carried the Sith off the ship.

* * *

Kaori Vahan awoke grunting and groaning.  
  
_That'll teach me to swoop race til the wee hours of the morning_, she thought, as her head pounded to the rhythm of the beeping comm. Grimly the red-haired, gray-eyed scout stood and stumbled to the desk at the far side of the room. Gingerly she sat in the form-chair and flipped the activating switch. A blue holograph image of a human male in Republic grunt clothes materialized above the activation pad. Kaori half-listened as the soldier drolled on about her newest assignment. The day before she had been approached by a Duros in the Republic black and reds with orders to appear at landing platform 419 on Coruscant in four days. The Duros had handed her the datapad without a word and left just as quietly.  
  
The scout, at first, had been bewildered, wondering just why the Republic military was hiring her. Normally they had their own scouts. Civilian scouts like her were never given any notice. Shrugging, she had turned the datapad on, only to have her confusion intensify. The fleet was heading to the Outer Rim and needed her to translate.  
  
_Why don't they just get a protocol droid_? She remembered asking herself.  
  
Kaori had just shrugged. She needed the credits and so had made plans to go. She had never turned a job down unless it conflicted with her father's code.  
  
"Miss Vahan?" the nasal voice of the soldier dragged Kaori back from her musings.  
  
"Huh?" she asked, and then realized who she was talking to. "Oh – um – yes, what was it?"  
  
"Were you listening?" the soldier asked, frowning.  
  
_Not really, no_, she thought. "Sorry," she said out loud. "I just have a headache."  
  
The soldier's expression did not change. "Ma'am, I was just telling you that we need you at the hanger bay now. We have to leave in three hours."  
  
"_What_?" Kaori cried, instantly regretted it as waves of intense pain crashed across her head.  
  
"The Jedi have to leave now," the soldier replied. "You're needed now. A transport has been sent. It should be at your apartment at 0800."  
  
The transmission cut off and Kaori looked up at the wall chrono above the desk. It was 0645. Kaori groaned and hurried to the refresher to get ready. 


	2. Chapter 2: First Impressions and banthas...

Disclaimer: See first post.  
  
Kaori slipped the restraint off as the red and white _Tanger_-class four- person military airspeeder slowed to a stop. She glanced to her right and got her first glimpse of the ship that would be her home for the next month or so. Close to 250 meters in length, the _Endar Spire_ certainly was not the most awe-inspiring or most intimidating ship in the Republic fleet. In fact Kaori had seen more impressive ships during some scouting missions she had been on.  
  
She smiled, remembering one such mission. She and her passengers were being harassed by a duo of pirate ships. The lead one, a mottled brown and white triangle shaped ship, had managed to disable the engines of Kaori's ship, the _Jade Songbird_, when a red and white cruiser winked into the fray. In a matter of moments the two pirate ships retreated to hyperspace and the cruiser had tractored the _Songbird_ on board.  
  
Kaori thanked the corporal that drove her to the landing platform, pushing the memories aside. She stepped out of the speeder, tipped her head to the private that handed her her black, durafabric bag, and then made her way to the lowered boarding ramp.  
  
"Miss Vahan?" a boy-faced ensign asked as she boarded.  
  
Kaori did not answer. Her gaze had been drawn to an auburn haired man in an orange jacket walking towards them from a room at the far end of the corridor. He was intently reading a sliver datapad and did not see the male blue Twi'lek back out of another, closer door. The Twi'lek looked to be apologizing urgently to someone still in the room and did not see the man. Kaori opened her mouth to warn both, but was too late. Both collided with a dull sounding _thud _and the datapad hit the deck with a loud, metallic _clank_.  
  
Kaori watched as the Twi'lek sputtered, his lekku twitching franticly. The human man just waved a dismissing hand as he picked the datapad up. He continued on, once more reading the information.  
  
"Who was that?" Kaori asked the ensign as the man turned a far corner.  
  
"Commander Carth Onasi," the ensign replied.  
  
Kaori inwardly grinned as she heard the hero worship in the ensign's slightly squeaky voice. "Does the commander know Twi'lekian Lekku?" she asked, chuckling as the blue Twi'lek hurried down the corridor away from them.  
  
The ensign's brow furrowed, his dark eyebrows almost meeting in the middle of his forehead. "Not that I know of." He cocked his head to one side, a quizzical expression on his face. "Why?"  
  
Kaori gestured after the Twi'lek who rounded a far corner. "He just pledged his firstborn to the commander if he wasn't thrown off the ship or out of the military. The commander's hand wave was an agreement according to Twi'lek custom. Bound by warrior code that Twi'lek will have to give the commander his firstborn."  
  
The corners of the ensign's mouth twitched into a wicked grin. "I'd pay top credits to see Commander Onasi get out of that one." Kaori laughed. "If you will follow me," the ensign began as Kaori's laughter eased into giggles. "I will show you to your bunk."  
  
Kaori nodded and followed the ensign down the corridor. Somewhere in the back of her mind she registered that it was in the direction the commander went.  
  
"Because of the Jedi on board you'll have to bunk in one of the guy's barracks," the ensign continued, sounding apologetic as they passed the connecting corridor Commander Onasi had went down.  
  
"Why?" Kaori asked, uncomfortable. She could handle herself fine, having grown up with three boys, but the idea of staying in a room with two or more men still unnerved her.  
  
The ensign gave her an apologetic look. "The Jedi have taken all the available quarters and the ladies' barracks are all full," he explained. He held up his hands, palms up, in a show of helpless regret. "You'll have to bunk with me and Trask Ulgo."  
  
Kaori nodded slowly, knowing that there was not much, if anything, she could do. The Jedi, as far as she knew, liked to separate themselves from the rest of the crew when on board. She knew that even if there were an unused bunk in a female Jedi's quarters it would not be offered to her.  
  
"What is your name?" Kaori asked to change the topic and to get to know her bunkmate.  
  
"Dilon Chaviv," he answered, smiling. "At your service, my lady," he added, grinning – a mischievous glint in his hazel eyes.  
  
Kaori raised an eyebrow at his last line but just grinned. "And how long have you been in the military, good sir?" she asked side-stepping to the right of Dilon to get out of the way of a brown-haired, slim-waisted, female Jedi. A feeling of déjà vu washed over Kaori even as the Jedi shot the scout a half-shocked, half disapproving look before she schooled her features and continued on. Kaori shook her head, ignoring both the feeling and the look, and faced Dilon.  
  
"– in my second year," he was saying. "I joined after the Sith razed my home town. They killed my father during that attack." The ensign's voice dropped to a growl as he continued. "Those animals will pay for what they've done."  
  
Dilon fell silent and Kaori found herself sympathizing. Since Revan and Malak had declared war on the Republic, Kaori had met many who had lost at least one loved one, if not more. She could not imagine how someone could enjoy inflicting so much pain and suffering on others. She had always been someone who wanted to shield others from harm. She mentally chuckled. Her father had it right when he named her Kaori Vahan.  
  
"We're here," Dilon said, coming to a stop in front of a door at the end of a short corridor.  
  
Kaori snapped out of her thoughts and watched Dilon open the door. She stepped inside, glancing around. To her left was a single bunk sticking out perpendicular to the wall. Straight in front of her were two more bunks less than a meter apart. In the square of empty space between the single bunk on her left and the leftmost bunk across from her were two footlockers, both placed against the wall at a ninety degree angle from each other. To the right of the other bunk across from her was another footlocker.  
  
To her right were three gray, hard-back, plasteel chairs surrounding a lighter gray plasteel table. Upon its surface rested a scattering of Pazaak cards.  
  
"You play?" Dilon asked, drawing Kaori's gaze.  
  
Kaori shook her head. "Never really was any good," she admitted.  
  
"I'll teach you," Dilon offered, eagerly. "That is if you want me to," he added, quickly.  
  
Kaori snickered. "Sure," she said smiling. "I'd be honored if you would teach me."  
  
"It is I who would be honored," Dilon returned, grinning.  
  
"Flatterer," Kaori teasingly accused.  
  
"And proud of it," Dilon stated, chuckling. "Your bunk's the right one there and your footlocker is next to it," he added, gesturing to the right bunk across from them. "Stow your gear, and I'll show you around."  
  
Kaori nodded and crossed the relatively small room. She knelt next to the footlocker, opened it, and placed her bag inside. She opened a side pocket and pulled out a thin golden band. Embedded at even intervals around outer circumference were small jade stones- so rich, so pretty. They sparkled in the light of the room, causing tiny greenish spears of light to dart around her. She closed the pocket, shut the footlocker, and slipped the ring on the last finger of her right hand. Looking up she noticed Dilon was staring at and she knew by the look on his face he wanted to ask about the ring.  
  
"My father gave it to me," she said. "I forgot to put it on when I left because I was running late and then in the speeder ride over the bag was in the back."  
  
"But why wear it on your right hand?" Dilon asked. "Won't it interfere with your shooting?"  
  
"Do you fear an attack?" Kaori asked, staring intently at him.  
  
"No," Dilon responded. "It's just that most wear rings on their left hand."  
  
"I'm left-handed," Kaori explained. "I shoot with my left so I wear my ring on my right."  
  
Dilon's mouth formed a small 'o' before relaxing into a mischievous grin. "I've heard left-handers are very creative," he said, tone not betraying the amusement Kaori saw in his eyes. "Is that true?"  
  
Kaori had not expected that and it took her a moment to gather her thoughts. "I'm not sure," she finally said.  
  
"Are you?" Dilon continued.  
  
"Creative?" Kaori tugged on the lobe of her ear, a habit she had picked up as a child, thinking. "I suppose," she answered, slowly. "I like to tell stories and read them. I sing, a little."  
  
"Oh really?" Dilon asked a note of challenge in his tone.  
  
"Yes," Kaori answered.  
  
"Are you hungry?" Dilon asked.  
  
Kaori blinked at the switch in topics. _And they say females change the subject without warning_, she thought as she nodded.  
  
"Alright," Dilon said. "First stop on 'Dilon's Full Ship Tour' will be the starboard mess hall."  
  
Kaori chuckled as they left. Dilon slid closer to her left side to get out of the way of a soldier with close cropped, white hair. Dilon placed a steadying hand on Kaori's shoulder. Kaori nodded her thanks as she had almost lost her step when Dilon hit her. She slid away to the right a few centimeters when Dilon's hand slid lower down her back and almost wrapped around her waist.  
  
"Sorry," Dilon muttered, lowering his arm to his side.  
  
"It's okay," Kaori said softly. "I just like to get to know the guy better before I let him wrap an arm around my waist."  
  
"Ah," Dilon said, beaming. "A purpose in my life." They rounded a curve and took the first right to get to the starboard side of the ship. "I'll just have to tell you all about me."  
  
Kaori chuckled, as they passed through a door and into another corridor. To the left a corridor curved off to the north. In front there was a short distance to another wall. "We'll see, Ensign," she said, "we'll see."  
  
"Please call me Dilon," Dilon requested as they passed a connecting corridor and entered another door. "Ensign makes me think one of my superiors wants me because of some prank they think I pulled." He grinned ruefully. "Not that they would be wrong."  
  
Kaori snickered. "I could learn to like you, Dilon," she said.  
  
"I certainly hope so," Dilon replied as they rounded a corner. He smiled as they neared the end of the corridor and he pressed the button to open the door. He stepped to the side and gestured for her to precede him.  
  
"Such a gentleman," Kaori teased as she entered the room.  
  
Dilon chuckled. "My mother would be pleased," he said, stepping in behind her.  
  
Kaori smiled and glanced around, taking in everything. Four rows of twenty tables and chairs were housed in the relatively large room. A few soldiers, aids, and one civilian were scattered in the room. The soldiers sat at one far table and were laughing, no doubt telling exaggerated stories of their deeds in the military. The aids and the sole civilian were seated across the room from the soldiers, the aids towards the front of the room, the civilian in the far corner. The aids were in quiet discussion and the civilian was intently reading something on a datapad.  
  
Dilon lead Kaori to the far wall where a table laden with various fruits, breads, and cheeses stood. Kaori picked up a slightly chilled, white, plasteel plate and placed some hwortha berries, muja, and honey-wafers on it. She looked up as Dilon, who had stepped into a small room to the left of table, returned with a glass of blue milk.  
  
"How did you know I liked blue milk?" Kaori asked as she sat down at a table halfway between the food table and the door.  
  
"I didn't," Dilon replied, sitting across from her and placing the glass next her plate. "This is the only thing the cook'd allow me to get. Said it was too early for ale."  
  
Kaori snickered and reached for a honey-wafer when she realized something. "You're not eating?" she asked Dilon.  
  
Dilon shook his head. "I've eaten."  
  
Before Kaori could reply a deep male voice boomed form the doorway.  
  
"Dilon!"  
  
Kaori and her companion turned to find a burly man standing there. His shaggy, black hair stuck out in all directions and the piercing look in his brown eyes caused a chill to run down Kaori's spine. Kaori heard a low snarl from Dilon but before she could ask, Dilon spoke.  
  
"Excuse me. Bantha brains over there thinks he should have first pick on the females." He stood and placed himself between Kaori and the man. "Nanuq," he said, evenly but Kaori heard the edge in his voice.  
  
Nanuq must have heard it as well because his eyes narrowed. "Who's yer friend?" he sneered, giving Kaori a look that clearly and loudly announced his intentions.  
  
Kaori felt her stomach roll in disgust.  
  
"The scout hired for translating," Dilon replied. Kaori noticed the tension in his stance even though he held his hands at his side. She stood, though not sure what she could do if Nanuq decided to do anything. She had left her sword and blaster in her footlocker and she was not sure her meager skills in hand-to-hand combat would affect Nanuq in any way.  
  
"Does she have a name?" Nanuq asked, stalking closer.  
  
Kaori watched as Dilon's right hand clenched into a fist as he answered. "Kaori Vahan," he answered.  
  
"Such a pretty name," Nanuq said, his tone giving his intended compliment a sickening feel, "for such a pretty woman." He faced Kaori as he slowed to a stop a few centimeters from them. A lewd grin spread across his features. "Sweetheart, why don't you come with a _real _man? I'll show you how to have a good time."  
  
"If I had wanted _that_ kind of a good time," Kaori replied an edge in her tone a half-deaf being could have heard, "I'd visited a pleasure house."  
  
Nanuq's smarmy face hardened. "Why are you with this loser?" he demanded, gesturing at Dilon. "I'm ten times-"  
  
"Worse than a dewback in heat?" Kaori asked, causing Dilon to snicker.  
  
"You had better watch yourself missy," Nanuq snarled. "No girl tells me no."  
  
"Somehow I think they do," Kaori retorted. "It just doesn't register in that berry-sized thing you call a brain."  
  
Nanuq growled and took a menacing step towards her.  
  
"Is there a problem here?" a deeper, more soothing male voice asked from right behind Nanuq.  
  
The towering Nanuq spun, intent Kaori thought, on pulverizing the speaker. Kaori watched as his arm, poised to strike whoever was there, froze mid- swing.  
  
"C-C-Commander Onasi," Nanuq stuttered, dropping his arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you, sir."  
  
Carth just grunted and strode past Nanuq, effectively placing himself in a position to step between Nanuq and Kaori, should the situation call for him to do so.  
  
Kaori was surprised to feel her breath catch in her throat. When she had seen the commander before she had be so intent on the Twi'lek that she had not really paid attention to the man. Seeing him now, dressed in black boots that shined, black trousers, and a deep emerald color dress shirt, Kaori had to admit he was handsome. She noticed the two tendrils of hair that stubbornly fell over his right eye and had an inexplicable urge to push them back into place.  
  
"Is this man bothering you, Miss Vahan?" Carth asked her.  
  
Kaori blinked and nodded, mutely – hoping he had not been aware of her staring. She noticed the slight crestfallen expression cross Dilon's features and knew at least one person had.  
  
"Nanuq," Carth said, turning to face the man. "You are supposed to be aft ship. What are you doing in the starboard mess hall?"  
  
Nanuq shrugged, seemingly having gotten over his earlier shock. "Was nothin' goin' on. Figured I'd welcome the newest crew member."  
  
Kaori winced as the look on Carth's face darkened. Even Dilon took a step back.  
  
"Private Nanuq Elkangh!" Carth said his voice as hard as durasteel. "Report to Staff Sergeant Otso Devlon. For the remainder of this mission you are on K.P!"  
  
Nanuq blinked but made no move to obey Carth's order.  
  
"Now, Private!"  
  
With a jerk, Nanuq saluted Carth, spun on his heel, and left the room. Carth turned back to Kaori and Dilon as the door closed.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked her.  
  
"Yes,' Kaori replied. "Thank you," she added, tipping her head slightly in his direction.  
  
"My pleasure," Carth replied. "Nanuq has never learnt when to quit. This time it caught up with him. I hope he learns his lesson but I doubt it." Carth faced Dilon. "Ensign Chaviv."  
  
Dilon straightened to attention and watched silently, slightly wary.  
  
"Good job," Carth said. "Not many would place themselves between Nanuq and a woman."  
  
"If they were smart they would, sir," Dilon replied, grinning. "Especially when the woman's as pretty and as nice as Miss Vahan here," he added, glancing in her direction.  
  
Kaori could feel her face heat up and was certain that she was blushing.  
  
"Carry on," Carth said, chuckling. He walked away, towards a table on the other side of the room.  
  
Kaori watched him as he got a cup of caf and then noticed the beings in the room had listened in and watched the entire event. She shook her head as she returned to her seat, wondering why none stood up in the pretense of helping. Dilon slid into his seat and smiled at her.  
  
"You look even prettier when you blush," he said, confirming her hunch that she was still blushing.  
  
Kaori took a slip of her blue milk, to hide just how embarrassed she was. She had never believed herself to be pretty. The gods knew she had heard all her life how plain she looked.  
  
"You like the commander, don't you?" Dilon suddenly asked.  
  
_Doesn't beat around the wrosyhr tree do he_? she thought. "To be honest," she began leaning back against the backrest of her chair, "no. I mean he is nice looking but I don't like him."  
  
"Good," Dilon said, firmly.  
  
"Careful," Kaori warned, chuckling. "Keep acting like that and I'll go sit in his lap."  
  
Dilon busted out laughing. "I could just see the look on his face!" he crowed.  
  
Kaori snickered, never noticing that Carth had sat down a table within earshot of her and Dilon. Nor did she notice that half-amused, half-pained look cross his face.

* * *

A week after take off, the _Endar Spire _was resting at a port on Corellia. Kaori and Dilon were sightseeing in the main city of Coronet while he was on planet-leave.  
  
"There's a live zoo on the west side of the city," Dilon told her as he consulted a datapad with the information and maps of the city.  
  
Kaori grabbed his hand and pulled him to the side. He glanced at her, confusion evident on his face. Kaori gestured with her thumb at the pillar of rock he had just about collided with. Dilon's expression turned sheepish and he scratched the back of his neck with his free hand, while giving an embarrassed chuckle. Kaori just grinned.  
  
"How do we get to the west side?" she asked, deciding not to tease him.  
  
"The zoo's entrance is three blocks that way," Dilon said, lowering his hand from behind his head and pointing to his left.  
  
"Alright," Kaori said, checking her wristchrono. "We're got two hours before we have to be back on board. Let's go."  
  
"Wait," Dilon said, "aren't you supposed to have a meeting with the Jedi at 1600 hours?"  
  
"I did," Kaori answered, passing a pedestrian hurrying in the opposite direction. "For some reason they said the meeting would have to be conducted at a later time." Kaori stopped and faced Dilon, for a brief moment causing him to stop in his tracks. "I get the oddest feeling they are trying to avoid me," she told him, seriously.  
  
"It's been my experience that they avoid everyone except the commander and his staff while on board," Dilon replied.  
  
Kaori thought that one over as they continued. Dilon was right. She had seen very little of the four Jedi on board and had only spoken to one of them twice. She shook her head, not able to see why they shunned getting to know anyone. Kaori had grown up believing that life was worth very little if the journey was not shared by someone – be they friend, family, or something more.  
  
"Here we are," Dilon said, a few minutes later.  
  
Kaori looked up and frowned at the kryat dragon shaped metal work that arched over an old fashioned hinged gate. The left eye of the dragon seemed to stare straight into Kaori's soul, as if weighing whether Kaori was a tasty enough snack. Kaori looked down as a nasal voice interrupted the moment.  
  
"Ah, you here to see animals?" the Rodian asked in a broken accent.  
  
"Yes," Dilon replied, reaching into an inner pocket. "How much for the two of us?"  
  
Kaori raised an eyebrow in Dilon's direction but the young man was ignoring her.  
  
"Five Republic credits for each," the Rodian replied.  
  
Dilon nodded and handed him a ten credit chip. The Rodian handed him a worn datapad in return. "Return at gate when leaving." The Rodian opened the metal gate for them.  
  
Dilon nodded and still ignoring Kaori's questioning look, led her through. He began to consult the datapad and for a moment Kaori waited patiently. When he did not speak, she grunted.  
  
"Why?" she asked, crossing her arms across her face.  
  
Dilon looked up, an innocent expression crossing his face. "Why what?" he asked, with a straight face.  
  
"I could have paid for myself," Kaori said.  
  
"I know," Dilon replied. "Think of it as a lifeday gift."  
  
"But my lifeday isn't for another month," Kaori said, following him as he walked towards a transparisteel-enclosed desert. Just beyond the clear window Kaori could see seven dark brown banthas lumbering around. One broke off from the herd and approached as Dilon stopped by a machine that looked to contain some green, leafy substance. Dilon placed a credcoin in the opening and a small door at the bottom left corner opened. A tray with some of the leaves on it jutted out. Dilon picked the bundle up and the tray slid back in. Kaori just watched him step up to a small opening as the small door closed with a slight click.  
  
"So consider it an early lifeday gift," Dilon said.  
  
Kaori snorted and moved to stand beside him. "Thank you," she whispered.  
  
"My pleasure," Dilon replied handing her some leaves.  
  
Kaori smiled and held her hand out so the bantha could reach the leaves. She giggled as the furry mouth tickled her hand and then sighed when the animal lifted its head.  
  
"Something wrong, Priya?" Dilon asked.  
  
"Priya?" Kaori questioned, confused.  
  
"It means 'Pretty One,'" Dilon answered as he snagged a random passerby. "Sir, could you take a holo for me?"  
  
The older human smiled, the corners of his gray eyes crinkling. "Sure," he agreed, taking the device from Dilon's outstretched hand.  
  
"Thank you," Dilon said, moving so he could stand behind Kaori. The scout glanced at him, as he placed a hand on her shoulder. She smiled and blushed when Dilon winked at her. The man snapped the holo at that moment. He then handed the device back to Dilon.  
  
"Here, sir," Dilon said, reaching for, Kaori guessed, something to give the man as a thank you.  
  
"Don't worry about it, sonny," the man said, waving his hand in a dismissal. "I was happy to do that. Such a nice thing to see such a loving couple. Makes me remember my youth." With that the elderly man shuffled off in the direction of the Manaan firaxa shark exhibit.  
  
Dilon winked at Kaori again as the scout felt her face heat up at the man's comment. She swallowed and coughed. "Uh, why did you call me, Priya?" she asked, wanting to divert attention from her embarrassment.  
  
"Because you are pretty," Dilon replied, "and the name suits you. Now, why did you sigh?"  
  
"I think it is better to see these animals where they are meant to be, not enclosed in a place like this," Kaori replied, grateful he was not going to speak about the man's comment.  
  
"It would be," Dilon said as they continued on to another enclosure. "But these kids who can't afford to go and do that can learn about them here. And who knows, maybe one day they'll grow up and save an endangered species just because they saw one of its kind here."  
  
"Well, I can't deny that it would be an educational place," Kaori replied. "But so would a hologram of the animal."  
  
"There is something magical about seeing a _live_ animal and being able to touch it."  
  
"That's true. I can remember when I can face to face with at Corellian razorcat."  
  
"You did?" Dilon asked, sounding very interested.  
  
Kaori grinned. "Why yes," she said. "I did."  
  
Dilon chuckled. "That's a tale I'd love to hear."  
  
"We'll see, Dilon, we'll see."  
  
Kaori laughed at the expression on Dilon's face. The young ensign's face held a mix of mock anger and a mock sadness. Kaori threaded her arm through his and proceeded to tell him the story.  
  
"You are sure of this?" the opposing figure in the dark cloak asked the young man seated across form him in the smoke filled cantina.  
  
"I am," the young man whispered. "I heard it from the commander myself. We'll be over Taris in two weeks."  
  
The figure scratched his chin, the only part the young man could see, thoughtfully. "Very good," he finally said. He reached into his cloak and produced a large handful of credchips. The young man fidgeted, eyes riveted on the different color cards as the figure placed them on the table. "Your reward. The Sith thank and reward those that help them."  
  
The man nodded and greedily grabbed pile of high denotation credits. When he looked up the figure was gone. The man shrugged, stood, and left- already dreaming about he would do with the money.  
  
"Taris," Malak whispered, his voice coming out as a hiss through the droid vocoder surgetically implanted after Revan had sliced off his lower jaw. "It begins and ends."  
  
"I beg your pardon, my Lord," Saul Karath said, stopping just behind the Dark Lord, who was staring out the viewport of the ship. "What are your orders?"  
  
"We'll ambush them," Malak replied. "We have two weeks until they reach this system. Place the ships just outside, wait until they arrive, then pounce."  
  
"Yes, my Lord."  
  
"Admiral," Malak said, not turning around but knowing – and secretly delighting in the fact – that Saul was nervous and afraid. "Bastila is my only concern."  
  
"And of the crew?"  
  
"Wipe them out. All of them." 


	3. Warning, warning

I apologize, my beta was extremely busy. Here's the next post, hope y'all enjoy.  
  
**Disclaimer**: See first post. Side note, the game portion of the story is about to begin. I claim no ownership over the dialog that comes from the game, even if I changed it to fit the story. I only claim the dialog I came up with.

* * *

"Ensign Ulgo," the male green-skinned Twi'lek Jedi on board said, stopping the soldier as he was on his way to the mess hall.  
  
Trask Ulgo swore under his breath. He had done nothing-that he knew of. Why were the Jedi speaking to him? They never spoke to the lower ranked soldiers. _Well_, he amended silently. _These four don't. There are other Jedi who do actually try to get along with the crew, but they are few and far between.  
_  
He briefly wondered just why the Jedi seemed to shun friendship as the brown-haired, broad shouldered Jedi stopped in front of him.  
  
"Yes, Sir?" Trask asked, trying hard not to let his confusion show.  
  
"Bastila requests that you follow me," the male said, his baritone voice nearly a whisper. "She needs to ask you for a favor."  
  
Trask frowned, wondering just what was up. He had never heard of Bastila Shan asking anyone for help. The young Jedi, upon whose slim shoulders rested the fate of the galaxy, had never, to his knowledge, ever shown that she needed anyone's help. He found himself nodding and following the male to the suites that the Jedi had taken. The male opened the last door on the right and gestured for Trask to precede him. Trask mutely stepped across the threshold and felt a slight weight settle onto his shoulders, though he was unsure if it was because the Jedi were doing something or because of his nervousness and uncertainty over the whole thing.  
  
Bastila was sitting by a gray table, looking for all the galaxy like the regal being that some soldiers claimed she was. Trask had the oddest feeling of a being the peasant sent to see the princess in some old holovid he had once seen. Somehow, he knew that this meeting would not go like it did in the vids.  
  
"Ensign Trask Ulgo," he said, happy that his voice held none of the nervousness he felt. "Reporting as ordered."  
  
"Ensign, thank you for coming so promptly," Bastila said. "Won't you please sit?" she added, gesturing to the empty chair across the table from her.  
  
"I'd prefer to stand, ma'am," he said. _Stand as far from you as I can_, he added silently. Inwardly he grimaced, praying she had not heard that. He had heard from some friends of his that Jedi could read a being's thoughts. He glanced at Bastila but the woman showed no sign that she knew what he was thinking.  
  
"As you wish," Bastila said, her tone reminding Trask of an old teacher he had in school when he was a kid. Trask had the oddest feeling of failing an important test but could not for the life of him figure out when he took it. "I need you to do something for the galaxy," Bastila continued.  
  
Trask watched her warily. He respected the Jedi but after Revan and Malak had turned, his trust in them had taken a serious blow. Once he would say that the Jedi were the good guys, now he was not so sure. Now he put nothing past them that included manipulating someone for their own means.  
  
"The woman that bunks with you and Ensign Dilon Chaviv," Bastila said and Trask noticed a slightly disdainful look fleetingly cross her face before the Jedi schooled her features. Features, Trask noted, that would be considered desirable if not for the arrogance in her eyes. "She is important, for what I cannot say. If there is an attack-"  
  
"You think there will be an attack?" he asked, surprised.  
  
"_If_ there is an attack," Bastila continued her tone so harsh that Trask involuntarily winced, "she needs to be protected. If for some reason the Jedi are not able to, I need you to make sure she gets off the ship."  
  
"Why me?" Trask asked.  
  
"Excuse me?" Bastila responded, sounding a little surprised. Trask wondered if anyone had dared to question her before.  
  
"Why are you asking me? Dilon's closer to her."  
  
"Dilon is too close to her. She needs to be looked after by someone who is not infatuated with her."  
  
"Why is she so important?" Trask asked, frowning. He had met the woman and could not see how she could change the galaxy at all.  
  
"That is none of your concern, Ensign," Bastila replied firmly. "Your only concern is to make sure she survives if we are attacked."  
  
"Is this an order?" Trask asked, his lack of trust for the Jedi causing his tone to harden.  
  
"Yes, Ensign, it is an order and it precedes any others."  
  
"Yes, ma'am," Trask replied. "If there is nothing else I need to get back. I have only a short time for lunch." _And you've already taken half of it.  
_  
Bastila waved her hand and Trask knew he was being dismissed. It seemed now that she had ordered him, her reason for speaking to him was gone and she was able to go back to being the close-mouthed, proper Jedi she was before. Trask nodded, spun on his heel and hurried out of the room, grateful that the weight he had felt walking in was now gone.  
  
He hurried back to the mess hall, hoping that he would at least get something before he had to report back. He was doubtful that the Jedi would be willing to explain to his superior why he had not been able to eat in the allotted time.

* * *

Trask ran down the corridor to his quarters. Twenty standard minutes ago a Sith battle fleet had ambushed the _Endar Spire_ as it was coming into the Taris system. The cruiser was hit from all sides and the hull had been breached in numerous spots. He had seen the four Jedi run for the opposite end of the ship, getting Bastila to an escape pod. One had told him to go perform his duty. Now, Trask was hurrying to do just that.  
  
Not paying attention to the others around him, he barreled into someone. Stepping back he found himself staring at Dilon.  
  
"Dilon!" he cried, startled. "Look, come on. I've got to get Kaori to the escape pods."  
  
The man needed no further encouragement. Together they raced towards the barracks. Just at the entrance to the short corridor leading to the room, Trask skidded to a stop as the sound of metal tearing could be heard over the blaring alarms. He turned to Dilon.  
  
"Go!" Dilon shouted over the noise. "The Sith have boarded the _Spire_. Get Kaori. I'll hold any off that come this way."  
  
Trask nodded, watching as the younger man lifted his blaster rifle. Dilon was a marksman and Trask knew his and Kaori's backs would be covered. He ran down the short corridor and slammed his hand on the opening mechanism for the door.

* * *

The klaxons blaring and the ship jerking combined to wake Kaori up from a sound sleep. She blinked her eyes, not sure if everything was a dream or a drill until one particularly hard jerk dumped her off her bunk and made her crack her head on the deck. Groaning, she got slowly to her feet, looking around to find the room empty.  
  
The sound of the door opening caused her to turn around. A man with closely-cropped, white hair in a red and white uniform stood there. Kaori had trouble placing who the man was.  
  
"We're under attack!" he yelled. "A Sith battle fleet has ambushed us."  
  
"Who are you?" Kaori asked, momentarily bewildered.  
  
"I'm Trask Ulgo, I'm your bunkmate on the _Endar Spire_ along with Dilon. I work opposite shifts, that's why you don't see me much. Now, come on, Bastila needs us."  
  
"Bastila?" Kaori asked.  
  
"Bastila's the commanding officer on the _Endar Spire_, well, she's the Jedi in charge. The Sith want her. It's our job to keep them from getting her. I know you're a scout and not a soldier but you swore an oath to protect her as well as everyone else. It's time to make good on that oath."  
  
"Alright," Kaori ground out against the pain in her skull. The blow to her head on the deck and Trask's yelling were combining to give her a massive headache, and that was making her irritable.  
  
"Get your gear," Trask ordered. "We've got to get to the bridge."  
  
Kaori spun on her heel and opened her footlocker, only then realizing that she was in her underwear. Growling in Trask's direction she pulled on her clothes. Holstering her blaster and sheathing her sword, she made sure to put her jade ring in a secure pocket of her bag. Grabbing the bag, she faced Trask.  
  
"Alright," Trask said spinning on his heel. "I'll open the door. It's locked because we've just gone into lockdown."  
  
Kaori nodded and watched as he fiddled with the panel beside the door. It opened with an air-filled whoosh and Kaori noticed a sole utility droid working on a transformer.  
  
"Okay," Trask said, looking at Kaori. "You better take the lead. I'll cover you."  
  
Kaori nodded and stepped out the door only to hear the commander calling them over their wrist-comlinks. The man was calling for an 'all hands to the bridge.'  
  
"If he says things are bad," Trask commented as they reached the far door. "You had better believe they are. That man's seen more combat than you or I put together."  
  
Kaori glanced at Trask, ignoring his comments – more worried if he could open the locked door in front of them. The white haired man must have figured out what she wanted because he shrugged.  
  
"I don't have the codes to that door," he said, apologetically. "It was open when I came to get you. You'll have to slice the controls and open it."  
  
Kaori sighed and flipped the panel on the side of the red and white door open. It opened after she had fiddled with the innards a bit. Kaori gasped as she watch Dilon get shot by a Sith trooper.  
  
"For the Republic!" Trask yelled.  
  
Kaori paid little attention to him. She drew her sword and charged the Sith that had shot her friend, with more fury than she had thought she possessed.  
  
Soon the skirmish was over and the Sith lay lifeless on the deck. Kaori was bleeding from various cuts on her arm and side and from multiple blaster burns on her shoulders, back, and arms. She did not take note of them or of Trask's injuries as she knelt by Dilon.  
  
"H-hey, P-priya," he whispered.  
  
"Shhh," Kaori whispered. "Save your breath. I'll inject you with some kolto. You'll be fine."  
  
"T-t-too l-late," Dilon whispered before a racking cough cut him off. Kaori noticed that he spit up blood. The ensign slowly placed something in Kaori's hand. "Take t-this. Get the Si-s-sith for me." He stared into her eyes. "I t-th-think we c-could have been gr-eat to-tog-together."  
  
Kaori smiled, despite of the tears streaming down her face. "Yes," she whispered.  
  
"G-go," Dilon said, as firmly as he could. "Kick the S-sith back where they b-b-belong. In a r-ra-rancor pit."  
  
"That'd give the rancor indigestion," Kaori said, weakly.  
  
Dilon smiled and Kaori felt it as he stopped breathing. She laid her head on his chest, her hair becoming bloodied. She felt Trask kneel beside her and place a comforting arm around her shoulders but she did not notice.  
  
"Come on," he whispered after a moment.  
  
Kaori slowly stood, leaning on Trask. She looked at her hand to see Dilon had given her his holoalbum. She stepped away from Trask, and pocketed the device. "Let's go," she said, her voice controlled and firm. "Those Sith will rue the day they killed _my_ friend!"  
  
Trask nodded and they made their way to the bridge, fighting Sith and taking supplies from the lifeless bodies of friend and foe alike along the way.

* * *

"That's a Dark Jedi," Trask said when they had opened another door. Before them a bald human man in silver armor and a brown haired human woman in a tan tunic were fighting with lightsabers. Trask laid a hand on Kaori's arm. "We better stay back. We'd just get in the way."  
  
They watched as the pair exchanged parries and strikes until the Dark Jedi fell dead, at the woman's feet. Before Kaori or Trask could react, a bolt from a turbolaser struck near the woman. The already-wounded Jedi fell, never to get back up.  
  
Trask cursed. "We could have used her help."  
  
Before either could do anything else, three troopers ran into the corridor. Unsheathing her sword, Kaori charged.  
  
Soon those three were dead. Kaori knelt next to the woman Jedi. She picked up the lady's lightsaber and a vibration cell for a vibroblade. Placing both in her pack she faced the Jedi. "I'll return you saber to the Jedi," she vowed. "And I'll tell them you went out doing your duty."  
  
Trash urged her to continue on and Kaori nodded.  
  
They continued on to the bridge and when they had dispatched the troops there Trask commented that Bastila must have already made it to the escape pods. Checking bodies for supplies, Kaori nodded. They continued onto the starboard section of the ship. Opening the door to a conference room, Trask ran to the far door.  
  
"There's something behind here," he said.  
  
The door opened to reveal a tall bald man in black armor. An odd thought about why the Sith all seemed to like having shaved heads passed through Kaori's mind a second before Trask said that he would hold the man off long enough for her to get to the escape pod.  
  
"Tra-" was all Kaori got out before the man ran through the door and locked it shut behind him. She hung her head. "I'll avenge you," she whispered before hurrying through the starboard section door.  
  
A beep from her wrist made her look down. Carth was speaking. "There's a Sith patrol down the hall. Use your stealth belt and sneak past him."  
  
Kaori glance around the bend in the corridor and saw the lone Sith trooper. She growled, sounding a lot like the razorcat she had run across on Corellia, and charged him. "This is for Dilon," she snarled as she sliced his chest. She spun away from his answering parry. As she completed the spin she sliced his neck. "And that's for Trask," she whispered, sadly, all the fight draining out of her.  
  
She checked the body for anything useful and then hurried down the corridor. She opened a door and found two Sith troopers. With a scowl on her face, she charged the nearest one.

* * *

Decorated war hero, pilot almost his whole life, brilliant tactician, yet all that that could not help Carth Onasi as he watched the woman on the _Spire_'s computers. He had warned her about the patrol and watched as the woman, disregarding his advice to sneak past the Sith, attacked instead. He shook his head wondering just what was going through her mind. He had warned her that she needed to get to the escape pod room soon or he would have to leave her. He prayed to whatever gods would hear that he would not have to do that. He had never left a living comrade behind before and did not want to start now. He would be out there helping her fight, if not for the fact that the door would only open from the outside now.  
  
"What is she doing?" he asked himself. "Trying to get herself killed?"  
  
Soon she was two rooms from him. He pressed the activation on his comlink. "There are a bunch of Sith on the other side of that door. You need to find a way to thin their numbers. You could repair that damaged droid or use computer spikes to slice into the terminal and blow the transformer in the room."  
  
He watched as she opened the panel on the back of the droid and fiddled with its systems. The white droid sprung to life, testimony to the woman's repair skill. Carth watched as both the woman and the droid entered the room and made short work of the five Sith.  
  
He turned just as the door to the room he was in opened, and smiled at her as she hurried through. He recognized her as the woman the Jedi had requested come aboard. He found it odd that she had never been allowed into one meeting amongst the Jedi and command crew of the ship.  
  
"You made it!" he exclaimed. "Bastila's pod is already away. There's only one left. Let's get out of here."  
  
"Just how do I know I can trust you?" the woman asked.  
  
"I'm a soldier with the Republic fleet, like you. Come on, there's no reason to get shot by the Sith. If you have any questions ask them later."  
  
The woman nodded. Carth stepped over to the control panel for the escape pod. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Kaori press the lockdown button on the door.  
  
"What was that all about?" he asked, confused. He hit the open button on the panel. The door to the pod began to iris open. Kaori surprised Carth by pushing him towards the opening. "What?" he asked, flustered.  
  
"No time," she answered, hurriedly. "He's coming."  
  
"Who's coming?"  
  
"Get in. I'll tell you later."  
  
The tone of her voice convinced Carth that something was really wrong. He hurriedly got in, watching as she wedged herself in and slammed the door shut seconds before it rocketed off the ship. 


	4. You want to go where?

Sorry for the late update. Computer problems, hectic life, and a sick beta. Sorry.

**Disclaimer:** Again don't own Star Wars. Only the OC's and planet I've come up with. Dialogue taken from the game, even if modified by me, doesn't belong to me.

Enjoy

* * *

_Wham_

The black furred, four legged alien jumped at the sound. She glanced over to the corner of the room and was relieved that her mate was still asleep. She knew that if he had woken up he would want to why she was still awake and she did not want him to know that she was worried about them not getting back home. Like many on Taris, she had seen the fight in space and knew that whatever was going on up there would affect the lives of the beings planetside. She had wanted to leave that day but they could not find anyone to transport them. Now, they were stuck.

Blinking, she looked out the window of the dingy, dirty room to see what had made that loud noise. She was surprised to see a ship's escape pod on the platform outside. As she watched, the hatch slowly opened to reveal a human male trying to get a human female out. The female looked to be dead and the alien whimpered in sympathy for the male. She hesitated only a second before hurrying out the door to see if she could help.

She glanced around upon exiting the elevator and saw no one walking the streets. Breathing a sigh of relief, she hurried over to the male as he wrestled the female out – almost dropping her in the process.

"Need some help?" she asked in a whisper only to have the male's blaster pointed straight at her. "I mean you and your mate no harm," she hurriedly explained, her voice low. "I saw you crash and thought I'd offer you my apartment as refuge."

"How do I know I can trust you, Daktin?" the male asked, eyes narrowed in what she had come to find was the human way of showing suspicion.

The Daktin female rose to her full height of 1.07 meters and stared into the male's eyes. "How do you know you can't?" she asked. "Can you see into my mind, my soul?"

"No," the male answered.

"Them maybe you need to take a step of faith," the female answered, softly. "If for no other reason than to help your mate."

"Mate?" the male asked confusion evident on his face and in his voice.

"Come," the female said. "No time. Others will be here soon."

The male though still, confused nodded. "Alright," he said.

The female nodded her horned head and led the male back to her apartment. Once inside the female watched as the male gently laid his burden down on one of the two bunks next to the refresher door.

The female glanced in the opposite corner by the door leading out of the apartment and saw that her mate was awake and watching everything, a quizzical look on his cream-furred face. She padded over and lay down next to him on the sand-wolf pelts they had brought from home.

"Shashi," her mate whispered never moving his golden eyes from the human's movements. "What is going on?"

"His mate's hurt. They crashed. I offered them shelter."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"Because I didn't want to disturb you."

Shashi's mate grunted. Shashi snickered softly. They watched the human gently tend to the various wounds on his mate's body. Presently the male stood and made his way over to them.

"Thank you," he whispered. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I am Navon'bjon," Shashi's mate whisper. "She is my mate Shashi'bjon."

"I am Carth Onasi," the male whispered. He gestured to the female asleep on the bunk behind him. "She's Kaori Vahan."

"Human females don't take the clan name of their mates?" Shashi asked confused. It was an honored tradition on her homeworld for the females to adopt the clan name of their mates. _Humans are weird,_ she thought.

"Kaori's not my mate," Carth quickly tried to explain. "She and I just worked on the same ship. We were the last to escape before it blew."

"Oh," Shashi said, chastised. "I did not know you weren't mated. It was just that you arrived together and you were so tender and protective of her," she added.

"That's okay," Carth said, seemingly dismissing Shashi's apology. "I can understand how easily one can think we were mates. Especially given the fact I was carrying her."

Shashi nodded her furry head. "She'll be okay, right?" she asked worriedly.

Carth glanced over his right shoulder. "I really hope so," he said.

"In the morning you can comm Zelka," Navon said.

"Who?" Carth asked, turning back to face Shashi's mate.

"Zelka Forn," Navon said. "He is the doctor here in the Upper City."

Carth nodded. Shashi watched him turn back to watch the sleeping female. She exchanged a glance with her mate. He was frowning at her and shaking his head.

_He knows me to well,_ she thought and raised an eyebrow at him. Navon's furry brow furrowed and a resigned sigh escaped him. _Yep,_ Shashi thought grinning._ He does know me well._ "Sir," she said out loud. Carth spun to face her. "Go lie down and get some sleep," she ordered him.

"But the Sith-" Carth began.

Shashi held up a paw. "We'll keep watch," she said, firmly – her tone indicating she would not budge. She gestured to the other bunk that was at the foot of the female's. "Now go."

Carth nodded, sleepily, and slowly made his way back to the bunk. Shashi watched him gingerly lie down and knew the male would be sore come daylight.

* * *

"There are no fatal injuries as far as I can tell," Zelka Forn said after checking Kaori over. "She should pull through just fine."

Carth thanked the kind man and showed him to the door. He walked to the workbench and tinkered with his blaster. It always seemed to clear his mind when he worked on something. A moan from the bunk had him whirling around. Kaori was thrashing and whimpering. He glanced over at the Daktin couple who had lent them their apartment. They were watching the red haired woman with concern.

A scream from Kaori had Carth on his feet and by her side before he even knew what he was doing. He held her jerking and shaking body and gently wiped her forehead with a wet cloth.

"Don't you dare die on me before I have a shot at reprimanding you for not taking my advice," he ordered her. Painful memories rushed through his mind and he had to push them aside, knowing that dwelling on them would not help him.

Slowly the shaking reduced to trembling and finally the trembling stopped altogether. Carth stood and stepped to the door. "I'm going to scout around a bit," he informed the Daktins. "Keep an eye on her, okay?"

"Sure," Shashi answered.

Carth nodded and left the room. He saw a brown haired woman hurrying into an apartment just down from the one he was staying in. The woman looked scared to death and kept glancing over her shoulder. At any other time Carth would have asked her what was wrong but right now his first concern was finding Bastila, keeping Kaori safe until she recovered, and finding a way off the planet.

Carth trudged onto the elevator and rode it down to the street level. He left and caught sight of some utility droids going over the pod. He looked away and headed for the cantina. The best place to find out things.

He entered the hazy, smoke filled room and headed straight for the bar. Forgoing the local Tarisian ale he ordered a Corellian whiskey as he scanned the area. He noticed a couple of drunken young guys sitting at a far table. He paid for his whiskey and by a circuitous route made his way to a nearby table. He sat down, back to the wall, and listened. Presently his patience was rewarded. He overheard one tell the other of some escape pods that had crashed into the Undercity. The other commented that the Sith, swoop gangs, and Davik, a local crime lord it would seem, were all mighty interested in the pods. Soon the conversation turned to bets on who would get to the pods first. Carth tuned the two out. He had gotten what he wanted.

"Hey there," a soft, husky voice purred from his right.

Carth glanced over to find an attractive young woman in less clothing than was considered descent standing there.

"What's a handsome guy like you doing here alone?" the woman asked, sultry, running her fingers up the side of his arm.

Carth scooted his arm away and stared at the woman. "Not interested," he said, softly but firmly.

"Your loss," the woman said walking off to find an easier mark.

Carth just took another sip of his whiskey.

* * *

_The darkness closed in. The thud of footfalls echoed in the silence._

He's coming for me. Where do I go? Where can I go? No! I'll be good. I promise, please don't hurt me.

_Bright light blinded her. She stood, watching through a smokey haze as a slender, brown haired woman fought with someone in a dark cloak upon what looked like the bridge of a ship._

Who is that? I've never see her before. She wasn't there or was she? Wait, is she fighting for me? No that's not right.

_The light ran, the dark overpowering it again. The thudding footfalls sounded louder, harsher, deadlier._

He's back, no. I'll be good. No, not the whip. I'll be good, I promise. I promise. I'll obey.

_She cowered as the hand that held the low-powered energy whip rose and a malicious chuckle escaped his wickedly twisted lips._

Kaori awoke with a jerk, confused and in pain. Her head felt like a herd of bantha had being stampeding from one side to the next. She groaned and promptly winced as pain raced across her senses. _And this is what all those who drink have to look forward to,_ she thought, groggily. _I'm so glad I never started._

She looked around the dim, dingy, depressing apartment. _Where am I? _she asked herself. _This is not the _Endar Spire_ and it's most certainly not my apartment. Did I miss the shuttle to return or something?_

"Good to see you up and about," a male voice to her right said, causing Kaori to jerk her head in that direction and wince as a new wave of pain washed over her.

A man in an orange jacket stood there. Kaori shrunk back, not know if this was someone who worked for that man in her dreams. Suddenly it all came back to her. The attack, watching Dilon die, Trask giving his life for her. Kaori groaned and placed her head in her hands.

"You must have been have some nightmare," the man – Carth Onasi – continued.

_You don't know that half of it,_ Kaori thought grimly. She could vividly remember the dream she had had. A brown-haired Jedi woman in reddish-tan clothing was fighting a Dark Jedi on what looked to be the bridge of a ship. She could also remember the nightmare of being locked in that dark cell, again.

"I'm Carth. One of the Republic soldiers from the _Endar Spire_. I was with you in the escape pod. Do... do you remember?"

Kaori noticed that the commander sounded concerned but she really did not care. All that was going through her mind was images of Dilon whispering "bye," and of that man coming for her. She leaned back against the wall behind her and drew her knees up and hugged them to her. She felt the bunk shift as someone sat down on it. She glanced over and saw that Carth was regarding her with trepidation and concern.

"Right," she whispered, pushing the memories aside. "How did we get here? And where is here?

She looked around, noticing the layers of dust that covered every surface. She saw the trails left by Carth and the two Daktins in the corner, the clean parts sticking out from the rest on the dirty, gray floor.

"We're on Taris," Carth replied. Kaori winced. She had heard of this place from scouting buddies and none had given glowing reviews of the planet. "We were lucky to have escaped the _Spire_," he continued. "It blew not long after we left. When the pods crashed you hit your head on a dislodged panel. I wasn't hurt that much and I was able to get you out. Shashi over there," he said, pointing at the black female, "offered her apartment. You've been slipping in and out of consciousness for a couple of days so I can imagine you are pretty confused about things."

_This guy's a master of the obvious,_ Kaori thought, sarcastically. _First __that dream or nightmare and now this._ She took a deep breath and pushed those thoughts aside. The commander had saved her life and she at least owed him respect. "I guess I owe you my life. Thanks," she said, smiling up at him.

Kaori noticed an odd expression creep across Carth's face. "Don't thank me," he said softly. "I've never left a man behind and I won't start now. Besides I'm gonna need your help to find Bastila."

"Bastila?" Kaori asked, brow furrowed. She remembered Dilon speaking of Bastila and remembered Trask telling her that the Jedi woman was the one in charge.

Carth frowned. "That smack to you head must have done more damage than I thought. Bastila's a Jedi and the only hope for the galaxy. Malak knows that and will stop at nothing to get her. Try not to worry. We're safe here. None of the Sith saw us when we crashed and none have been by."

Kaori nodded, grateful. She felt something sticking into her side and reached into a pocket of her trousers. She encountered something hard and pulled it out. It was the holoalbum that Dilon had given her. She turned it over and over in her hand, remembering. "I saw him die," she whispered to no one in particular.

She jerked slightly when she felt Carth's calloused hands wrap around hers. She looked up and then just buried her face into the soft materiel of his jacket. She felt one hand release hers and snake around her shoulders. She did not have the will to jerk away as she normally would.

"Shhh," she heard Carth murmur into her ear. "I'll be alright."

"How would you know?" she asked, her voice muffled.

"Because I've lived through many a comrade's deaths. The pain will lessen over time. You will be fine. It just takes time."

Kaori felt the tears stinging her eyes. Slowly she released them and was sobbing into Carth's jacket. The man just sat there and held her, whispering soft words of encouragement and rubbing her back gently.

Presently Kaori pulled away and dried the last tears remaining on her cheeks. She noticed that there was no blood or grime on either her hand or her face. She glanced at Carth, a quizzical look on her face.

"I cleaned your face and washed you hands," he answered, sounding a little sheepish.

Kaori paused, not quite sure how to react to that. Slowly she nodded, figuring that he had done so only because of some combat medical training. "I think I'll go clean the rest of me," she said.

Carth agreed and helped her to her feet. He handed her her travel bag and helped her to the refresher door.

* * *

Later the four sat around the sole table in the middle of the square room, with the humans sitting in chairs and the Daktins sitting on the floor. Kaori slightly shivered. The room resembled that man from her dream's place too much for her taste and the only reason she did not get up and leave was because Carth had asked her for help. She figured that since he had saved her life, she owed him that much.

"Taris is under Sith control," Carth said, causing Kaori to push away painful memories and focus on the matter at hand. "Their fleet is in orbit and they have declared martial law. The planet is now under quarantine." He shrugged giving Kaori the impression that he was little fazed by the fact they could not get off the planet. "I've been in worse spots," he finished, calmly.

"Humph," Navon grunted. "If this isn't the worst you've seen I'd hate to know what that was."

Carth nodded, stiffly. Kaori caught it as a look of intense pain briefly flashed in his brown eyes.

"Anyway," he continued after a second of silence and turned to Kaori. "I saw on your service records that you understand a remarkable number of languages. That's pretty rare."

He paused, and Kaori got the feeling he wanted her to explain. She shrugged. "I've always been fascinated by alien languages. I've been learning to understand and speak many since I could talk it seems. My father helped teach me." As she told him this, she slowly spun the jade ring round and round around her finger. "It came in handy when I became a scout."

"Why?" Carth asked.

Kaori blinked. "Why what?"

"Why did you become a scout?"

"Mostly because of my father. He was one and I idolized him," Kaori replied, sadly.

Carth's brow drew together and Kaori prayed he would not ask. That was something she wanted no one to know. Shashi must have read her mind because she began talking, preventing Carth from doing so.

"Most aliens that you will find here," Shashi began, "are Twi'lek, Ithorian, Rodian, Aqualish, Duro, and Nikto. There's one Quarren but he doesn't talk much. Oh, there are also two Hutts."

Kaori nodded. She understood most of the listed aliens' home languages and only a few of the languages were unknown to her, but most aliens used Huttese when away from their homeworlds, especially when off their homeworld. She was fairly confident that she could communicate with the beings on this planet.

"You forget," Navon said, drawing everyone's gaze. "The Wookiee."

"Wookiee?" Kaori asked, eyebrow raised. Most Wookiees did not leave their homeworld of Kashyyyk, willingly. However Kaori had heard a rumor from a scouting buddy that Czerka had started collecting the Wookiees and selling them as slaves. That made Kaori's blood crawl. She had once been a slave until her father could rescue her and the knowledge that a proud alien race was subject to that injustice made her furious.

"Yes," Shashi said. "I did forget him. Tall, quiet fellow. Hangs out with a young, talkative, blue, female Twi'lek. Very outgoing, that cub."

"You can handle the translating, Kaori?" Carth asked, sounding desperate to get the conversation back on track.

"Yes," Kaori answered.

Carth raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think Wookiees could speak Huttese."

"They can't," Kaori said. "But I know Shyriiwook."

A weird grin, that Kaori later found meant that Carth was about to pull some kind of mischief, spread across the commander's face. "Prove it," he challenged.

"Huh? Prove what?" Kaori asked, confused for a second.

"Prove that you can speak Wookiee," Carth said, slowly pronouncing each word. "Just say one thing in Wookiee-speak."

Kaori glanced at the Daktin couple to find them nodding in agreement. "Traitors," she mumbled. She took a deep breath. Speaking in Shyriiwook hurt her throat so she chose a small saying she had picked up. "Uwana goya uhama," she grunted softly.

Carth raised an eyebrow as she finished. "And what does that mean?" he asked.

Kaori took a sip of water before answering, her throat a little scratchy from making the words. "Wookiee for _'It's so hard to find good help these days.'"_

Kaori heard Shashi snicker softly. Carth just grinned and shook his head.

* * *

"No!"

Shashi jerked awake from her later day nap at the sound of Carth's deep voice. She blinked and turned in the direction the yell had come from. Carth and Kaori were walking in the door, having spent another day looking for leads to finding Bastila. Shashi sighed, deeply, wondering if this was another of Carth's attempts to tip-paw around the fact he did not trust anyone, including Kaori. Shashi winced, remembering [i]_that[/i]_ argument.

"_Do you really think that, dear?" Shashi asked._

"_She has a lot of Fulvia's traits," Navon replied shrugging his furry shoulders. "She reminds me of her."_

"_Navon," Shashi began slowly, "this......isn't because Fulvia died?"_

"_You think I'm trying to replace Fulvia?" Navon asked, testily._

"_Well, this is a little sudden, dear."_

"_I'm not. I know Fulvia's dead. I know Kaori can't replace her but I still feel this way."_

"_Well, dear, if you feel this way then I won't say anything," Shashi replied. "In fact, in a way, I wish Kaori could be ours."_

"_She can," Navon replied. "Dad just has to decree it official."_

"_But only if she consents," Shashi reminded him._

_Navon was about to say something else when the door opened and in stomped a very angry Kaori. Shashi believed that if the female had a tail, it would be lashing at the air furiously. Right behind Kaori was a hard faced Carth. Shashi glanced at Navon, who shrugged._

"_Look," Carth said, seemingly forgetting that Shashi and Navon were in the room. "I'm not trying to insult you."  
  
Shashi sent another glance to her mate, wondering what had brought that up. Navon just shrugged again but Shashi noticed his eyes were guarded. Not a good sign for Carth. Shashi prayed the male would choose his next words carefully._

"_This is just the way I am," Carth continued. "No need to take it personally."_

_Kaori whirled from where she was standing, reminding Shashi of the windtwists that plague her planet during the skywater season. Kaori's face was contorted in outrage. "Don't tell me to not take it personally," she ground out, "you hairless Wookiee!"_

_Shashi watched as Carth's face released its hard edge and adopted an amused expression. "Hairless Wookiee?" he asked. "All right sister, just......just......calm down before you head explodes."_

_Kaori's eyes narrowed. "We'll see whose head explodes, you ungrateful monkey-lizard."_

_To Shashi's surprise, Carth began to laugh. "Is that your idea of an insult?" he asked._

_Shashi turned to see that Kaori did not appear amused. The female Daktin groaned inwardly. These two would be the death of her._

"_Come on sister," Carth taunted, a mischievous grin on his face. "Take your best shot."_

"_Gamorrean pig-man!" Kaori cried._

_Shashi's ears perked up as a smirk crossed her lips. She glanced at her mate and saw that he was trying hard not to laugh. Shashi found herself in the same predicament. It did not help them when Carth spoke next._

"_Ouch," he began, holding his right hand over his heart with a faux look of hurt on his face. Only the glint in his eyes and the slight twitch at the corners of his mouth as it struggled to smirk gave away his true feelings. "I think you hurt my man feelings with that one."_

"_Well you had it coming," Kaori muttered weakly. To Shashi, it seemed the female looked as though she too was trying not to laugh._

Shashi realized in an instant that this disagreement was completely different than that fight. For one thing, Carth did not look like a sand-wolf ready to pounce on and exploit any weakness he saw in the dibit before him. Now he looked like a male Daktin bound and determined to protect his mate from something he deemed dangerous.

"Look, Carth," Kaori said. "It's the best lead we've got. I am going."

"No you are not," Carth said. "It is too dangerous."

Shashi watched as Kaori drew herself up to her full height, which was not that tall. To Shashi it would seem Kaori was offended by Carth's order. The look on the female's face was a study of righteous indignation.

"Do not presume to tell me what to do," Kaori ground out, slowly enunciating each word. "You are not my commanding officer, nor are you Eunan."

"Eunan?" Carth asked, sounding confused. Shashi found herself confused as well. Kaori seemed to ignore the question as she shook herself. Shashi saw a look of realization sweep over Kaori's face. Carth must have seen it as well because his brow furrowed and he opened his mouth to say something but Kaori held her up her hand, interrupting him.

"Don't. I'll see you _after_ the party."

Before Carth could reply Kaori spun on her heel and angrily headed for the refresher door. Carth was left sputtering. Shashi exchanged a glance with her mate, who just shrugged.

"Carth?" Navon asked as the male human began to pace and mutter to himself. Carth stopped and faced the Daktin couple but Shashi noticed that his eyes were glazed over and she knew he was not entirely focused on them. "What was that all about?" Navon asked.

Carth threw a disgusted look at the 'fresher door before facing Navon again. "Kaori has been invited to a Sith party. I told her that we shouldn't go, that we could come up with another way to get down to the Undercity."

Shashi felt Navon jerk in surprise and found that she was just as surprised. Normally no one willingly went into down to the Undercity of Taris. At least no one sober, and who had a lick of sense.

"Why do you not wish her to go to this party?" Navon asked, calmly.

Carth flung his arms out in exasperation. "It's too dangerous," he answered as if that was evident.

"Dangerous for whom?" Navon asked.

Shashi sat back and watched. Both, over the two weeks they had known the humans, had come to see the female as their own cub and Daktin males got very testy when their cub's honor was questioned – especially when questioned wrongly. Carth had been treading a blade's edge with his thinly veiled accusations and it would seem that male had finally driven Shashi's mate to action.

"For Kaori," Carth answered, giving Navon a look of disbelief. Shashi got the impression that Carth could not believe Navon had to ask.

Navon raised a cream-furred eyebrow even as he rose to his paws. Shashi sat up but did not say anything. "Are you sure?" Navon asked slowly.

Carth looked like he could not believe what Navon was asking and Shashi got the impression the male thought Navon was losing it.

"Yes," Carth sputtered. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I do not know," Navon answered truthfully. "At first you seemed to think her capable of doing everything wrong and sabotaging your mission."

"What are you talking about?" Carth demanded, the indignation in his voice and on his face showing Shashi that Navon had hit a nerve.

"Listen," Navon said, slowly advancing on Carth, making the male human step back. "Honor is something my people hold dear, and respect is earned in my culture, not given. Right now you have not shown me that you are worth my respect or even know anything about honor." Carth opened his mouth to reply but Navon cut him off. "Don't."

Navon gestured with his left horn to the refresher door. "She has all but bent over backwards to help you out even though she is not required to do so. Nowhere and at no time has she given you valid reason to call her honor into question. Now I want you to listen because this is your first and last warning. Don't do it again or _I'll_ answer the challenge in your words and trust me, I will remove the taint from her honor."

Carth, whose back was now against the wall by the bunks, eyes narrowed. "Why do you care?" he asked, curiously.

"Because she is my cub and I'll defend her to my dying breath," Navon replied, his deep voice sounding like an animal's growl.

Carth seemed to pause for a moment at that declaration and then the male human slowly nodded. "Yes, I understand," he finally answered.

"See that you remember it," Navon said, before turning around and heading back to the pelts.

"Navon," Carth said. Navon stopped not far from the pelts and craned his neck so he could look at the pilot. "I don't want to see Kaori hurt, or worse," Carth stated.

Navon dipped his head once. Shashi knew that meant he appreciated the words and as long as that was Carth's concern Navon would not press the issue.


	5. You're kidding, right?

I apologize. This thing has been a little temperamental. I could not figure out where to go next. I had gotten a new video gaming system and couldn't hook my X-Box up to continue playing so ideas kinda fizzled out. I finally was able to get a system selector and started playing again, only to have my TV bust. I had to move my X-Box into the living room so I could continue to play. Anyway, I was finally able to get this post out.

**Disclaimer**: Again any dialogue used from the game, even if changed by me, does not belong to me.

* * *

Carth paced the width of the apartment, passing between the beds and crossing beside Shashi. The black Daktin followed him with her eye but Carth was too perturbed to care. Kaori had left for the party while he was out getting some dinner for everyone a local restaurant. He had been furious when had returned to find her gone. Oddly enough, the thought that she could inform the Sith about their activities never crossed his mind. The thought that she could be hurt – or worse – did cross his mind. He growled, enlisting an annoyed ear flick from Shashi.

"Why?" he asked her, stopping dead in his tracks in front of her. He had to do something to take his mind off the fact that Kaori was not there and had not listened to him.

"Why what?" Shashi asked, titling her head to the right. Carth recognized the sign of confusion, having seen the reaction form an old kusak his -

"Why did Navon warn me?" Carth asked, derailing that thought before it could reach its conclusion. "Most Daktin males just teach the lesson the hard way."

Shashi angrily leapt to her paws like someone had poked her backside with the sharper end of a sword. "Who told you that?" she growled, her tone indignant.

Carth frowned. "That's not true?" he asked. For as long as he could remember, stories were told of ferocity of Daktin males when they dealt with honor issues.

Shashi harrumphed. "I don't know where that rumor got started but I do wish it would go away," she muttered, annoyed. "Daktin law requires we give a warning. An honorable Daktin will never just attack over an honor issue. To do so would threaten the attacking Daktin's honor."

"I'm sorry," Carth replied, realizing those stories were probably told from beings that had provoked the aggression and did not wish anyone to know they were given a chance to back off. "I was misinformed."

Shashi's ears twitched, temporarily tucking against the sides of her head. "To reach a conclusion when one does not have all the facts is foolhardy," she murmured softly.

Carth caught the slight rebuke in her tone but before he could reply the door opened. He whirled to see if it was Kaori. It was not, and he blinked, wondering why the disappointment and worry he felt were so intense.

Navon padded across the room, carrying in his mouth the bag of supplies he had left to get. He set them down and glanced over at Carth. Carth nodded, knowing what he wanted. He stepped over and removed the identity collar the Daktins had to wear when leaving the apartment. After a close call with the Sith soldiers informing Kaori of the regulation stating Upper City aliens must wear a collar identifying who they belonged to or worked for when out on the streets, Navon and Shashi agreed to wear it. Carth knew both did not really like it but were willing to do so. If only because it made sure the Sith did not come down on him or Kaori.

Navon grunted a thank you as Carth placed the collar on the table. "That old male on the corner is really getting on my last nerve," he grumbled.

"That Anti-Alien League guy giving you problems again?" Carth asked.

Navon snorted. "If I have got to listen to how I am nothing more than a beast, and a stupid, vicious one at that, whose only goal in life is to tear Taris asunder with my own paws, I will go insane," he replied wearily.

Carth smiled apologetically. Gorton Colu, an old man who spewed prejudice against aliens, had rankled Kaori earlier in the month and she now went out of her way to avoid him. It did not help that he chose to spew his hateful belief near where they had to go to get to the Lower City.

"I could have gotten the supplies," Carth offered. He noticed a look passed between Shashi and Navon even as the male snorted.

"We all know what you have done," Shashi said, "and Kaori does not need you to barge in with blasters drawn."

Carth's eyes narrowed but he knew there was no heat behind his glare. Shashi was right, and that just added to his frustrations. He would have gone and gotten Kaori out of the party before getting the supplies. "I wouldn't have gone in with 'blasters drawn'," he muttered.

The door opened before anyone could reply and Kaori walked in. Carth's jaw dropped at the silver, shimmersilk, floor-length dress she was wearing. The dress seemed to hug every curve of her body, flaring slightly out at the hips and cascading down to rest gracefully on Kaori's feet. The embedded faux diamonds sparkled in the low light of the room.

Carth's eyes, seemingly of their own accord, traveled up and down her body. His intense gaze fastened onto a torn part near her neck, the frayed threads ticking her creamy skin. He clenched his fists, dull and dirty fingernails digging into the palm of his hands. He heard Navon growl and found himself growling as well.

Kaori held a hand up, staying any questions as she headed for the refresher. As she passed, Carth noticed a slight bruising around her left wrist. His eyes narrowed and some small part of him wondered why the thought of someone gabbing at Kaori like that made his blood boil. Try as he might, he could not explain it away. He left it to his belief that no man should treat a woman that way.

A few frustrating-for-Carth minutes later Kaori exited the fresher. She was once again in her normal clothes, the dress hung limply off her right arm. Tiredly, she flung it onto her bed as she ungraciously plopped into a durafabric chair near the sole table in the room.

"Well?" Carth asked, a little more harshly than he had intended.

"I got a Sith uniform," Kaori announced, pointing at the tattered bag she had dropped when she walked in. "Tomorrow afternoon, one of us can wear it to get past the guard at the elevator."

"What about the other one?" Carth asked, eyes narrowing. If she thinks she'll go alone into the Lower City she has another thing coming.

"I was told the Sith officers sometime take mercs down there," Kaori explained. "No doubt to do all the work so the officer gets the praise or to provide a barrier between the officer and the rakghouls. My plan was for me to wear the uniform and you to go as the merc."

"Why not the other way around?" Carth asked, frowning.

"Two reasons," Kaori said, sounding exhausted. "One, you could pull the whole merciless merc better than I can." Carth snorted at that, enticing a chuckle from those in the room. "And two," Kaori continued, "the only uniform I could get was from a female junior Sith officer. I don't think her uniform would fit you."

Carth grunted, but grudgingly accepted Kaori's plan. It did seem like the only way to get to the Lower City. Then his upper lip curled back as he remembered the state of her dress. "Kaori," he started, "why was the neck of your dress torn and why is there bruising on you left wrist."

Carth watched as twinges of pain and fear crossed her face before it hardened into durasteel. "Yun got a little friendlier than I wanted."

Navon snarled, his whole body tensing as his fur bristled. "That nevir!" he roared, causing the cups on the table to rattle. "I'll rip his throat out. Touch my cub like that will he?"

"Your cub?" Kaori asked, confused.

Carth did not allow Navon time to answer. He jerked to his feet, a snarl escaping from between suddenly dry lips. "This is why I didn't want you to go," he growled. "At least not without me to back you up."

Carth watched as a disbelieving look crossed Kaori's features. "You sure it wasn't because you thought I would betray this mission? Seeing as how you seem to believe that's all I'm capable of. It seems that's your main goal in life – to wait around until I do something or say something to someone so you could be proven right. Is that why you wanted me to stay here or stay tethered to you side and under your keen eye like some kind of disobedient pet?"

Carth just stood there, dumbfounded. To his surprise Navon was the one who stepped up to his defense.

"Cub," Navon said, sternly. "That was uncalled for. I can understand why you believe that but that does not give you the right to do to him what you don't want him to do to you. You two are going to have to learn to work together or this mission will fail."

Kaori nodded, looking chastised, and then she frowned. Carth suspected she realized that Navon had called her cub twice. Cub was a non-gender specific honorific that Daktin parents used to address their offspring. Since Navon repeatedly called her that, Carth began to believe his earlier statement of considering the scout as his cub.

"That's the second time you called me that," Kaori observed. "Why?"

Carth saw a sight he never thought he would. Navon blushed, momentarily casting a pinkish hue to his cream fur. "Shashi and I have talked this over at great length and um, well, that is – what I mean is, we…know you family is gone… and we know we'll never replace them…"

"And?" Kaori prompted, gently when the big male fell silent.

"We… wanted….we hoped to…. adopt you as our cub," Navon finished, ears tucked against the side of his head in what Carth guessed was fearful anticipation.

For a long moment there was only the whine of different machines in and out of the apartment complex, muffled through the walls of the apartment. Carth wondered what happened if Kaori refused. He, though he did not trust anyone, had grown to respect the two Daktin and he really did not want them to be hurt, or worse angry, at what could be an offense.

"Understand," Shashi said, "we have no intention of replacing your family. We just wondered if you would consider us a part of that family."

"Thank you," Kaori whispered, and Carth got the impression that her tone indicated a deeper meaning to that simple statement.

Navon nodded. "Shashi and I are going to lie down. Kaori, if you want, I can teach that Yun never to mess with my cub."

Kaori laughed. "No, thank you," she said, chuckling. "When he wakes he probably won't remember anything from the night before. None of them knew just how much of a kick Tarisian ale has."

Carth snickered. He knew from rookies who had tried Tarisian ale on a dare, how potent the wine was. Many claimed it kicked like a disgruntled bantha. Out the corner of his eye, he saw Navon shake his head, amused and make his way to the sleeping pelts lying in the corner of the room. Carth caught the warning glance the male gave him as he passed. It would seem that even though Navon had defended him, the cream furred male still did not trust him not to question Kaori's honor again.

Carth softly sighed and sat back down. He glanced over at Kaori to find that she was staring at the table intently, a sheepish expression on her face.

"I'm sorry, Carth," Kaori said, softly. "Navon's right. I had no right to say that."

Carth held up a hand, palm facing her, gesturing for her not bother. "No," he said, leaning forward to place his arms on the table. "I'm sorry. I mean you seem… sincere enough. I just don't trust easily," he paused and noticed that she made a move to say something. "And for good reasons," he said before she could. "Which are my own."

He saw her brow furrow and knew she was going to say something anyway. He frowned. She was by far the most persistent woman he had ever met.

"But we've got to work together," she said. "It's important to me."

Carth grunted. He did not like to talk about this, with anyone, but it would seem that she would not let it go until he talked. "I suppose I won't get any rest until I talk, will I?" Kaori just raised an eyebrow. Carth snorted. He had figured as much.

"Five years ago," he began, "the Jedi had just finished the war with the Mandalorians. Revan and Malak were heroes." He paused, gathering his thoughts. He had to choose his words carefully. He only wanted to tell her enough to satisfy her annoying curiosity and no more. There were parts of his past he wanted no one to know about.

"It was completely unexpected when they turned on us," he continued. "They invaded us when we were at our weakest. Nobody knew what to think, least of all me. Those we had looked up to, those we had admired had become brutal, conquering Sith." He spread his hands along the top of the table in a gesture indicating despondency. "We were helpless before them."

Kaori nodded and motioned for him to continue. Carth got the impression that she really cared about his story and he found himself wanting to tell her more than he had first intended. He frowned and asked her a question the story had brought to his mind. Inexplicably, he found he really wanted her input. "If you can't trust the best of the Jedi, who can you trust?"

He was surprised when she countered his question with one of her own. "What do I have to do with Malak and Revan?"

"It's... It's not…not... that," Carth stuttered. "It's…that's not….I mean," he growled, annoyed that she had managed to throw him off guard. "There….there were others. Good solid, trusted men who joined them." He glared at her, his anger at those who started all of this boiling up. "Malak, Revan, and the Sith deserve to die for what they have done, but the ones who fled the Republic and joined them are worse. The dark side has nothing to do with why they joined the Sith. They deserve i_no/i_ mercy."

As he said that, he slammed the palm of his hand down onto the table. He saw Kaori flinch and seem to shrink back into the chair in fear. She even drew up her legs so her knees touched her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs, looking for all the galaxy like an uncertain child facing an irate adult.

"You say that with such………hatred," she whispered, staring at the table intently.

Carth felt his anger melt away as if someone had dumped a container full of Hoth snow onto it. "I know," he said, his tone softening. "I should apologize to you. I've become so accustomed to expecting the worst in others and you've done nothing to deserve that. It's just……" he sighed, "never mind," he mumbled, running his hand through his hair in frustration. He only wanted to tell her enough to get her to back off, and now all he had succeeded in doing hurting her again. "Let's just continue this later. I'd rather not talk about it right now."

Kaori only nodded. She stood and without saying a word to him, made her way to her bunk. Carth watched her, wondering at her reaction to his outburst. He had seen her face down three of the top-ranked duelists on Taris in the three weeks they had been on the planet and not even blink an eye. He saw her face down two bounty hunters clamoring for her blood after she had stopped them from killing an old man in the north sector of Upper City and never flinch. And yet his shout had sent her shrinking into her chair. The two images did not seem to fit next to each other.

"What do you hide?" he whispered to the covered form softly snoring in the far bed.

Carth stood, resolving to find out the answer to that question. He made his way to the refresher to get ready for bed.

* * *

The elevator groaned as it made its way down, prompting Carth to question if it was because of frequent use or inadequate maintenance or both. He drew his blaster from the holster at his right hip, intent on checking the levels of the power pack in it. Out the corner of his eye he noticed Kaori check the hilt of her vibroblade. He wondered why a scout who was trained to shoot a blaster would prefer to wield melee weapons. Thinking back on an incident in the only supply store in the section of Upper City they landed in, Carth speculate if it could explain Kaori's preference for swords and the like. 

_"Just so you know," the shopkeeper Keble Yurt warned them as they browsed through the shelves. "The prices are final."_

_Carth tuned the rest of her warning out as he watched Kaori pickup a weapon that looked like a double-bladed vibroblade the duelist, Marl, used against Gerlon Two-Fingers in a duel the night before. Upon closer inspection, he noticed the strange markings on the hilt, signifying a blade of special construction. He glanced at the holodisplay that showed how much the weapon was and gave a low whistle. It was an Echani Fire Brand and it cost two hundred and eighty credits. Way more than they had._

"_Kaori," he whispered in her ear. "We can't afford that." _

_Carth watched as a pained expression crossed Kaori's face. She laid the weapon down, rather reluctantly. _

"_I wish we could," Kaori whispered. "My father used to own one similar to that one. He had to sell it se we could have enough credits to get something to eat after a job he was going to do fell through. I found out later that my grandfather had given the blade to him just before he died."_

"_So you want to get this one to give to your dad the next time you see him?" Carth asked as they headed for the medical supply section of the store. He noticed Kaori close her eyes and sigh sadly but she did not reply./i_

The elevator grinding to a slightly jolting stop drew Carth from his musings and memories. He pressed the open button and watched as the doors creaked open, as if they were under some amount of strain. That did not alleviate any misgivings Carth was already feeling. He could just imagine that the doors, no longer albe to bear their own weight, would come crashing down on him. He blinked when the sight of that very thing happening to Kaori caused feelings unnamed to course through his system. He shrugged, knowing she would not it see as she was looking in the opposite direction. Carth could not decide if it was because of his sense of not wanting anyone he worked with hurt or he was beginning to see Kaori as a friend.

Before he could ponder that much too longer, the stench of garbage laying on the streets for far too long, of burning durarubber from wires in malfunctioning glowlamps sparked and zapped – sending showers of red hot sparks to the street below – and the greasy smell of water lying too long and too close to oil run off from wrecked speeders and swoop bikes slammed into him with all the force of a rampaging rancor. It nearly caused him to double over and gag before he could put the collar of his orange jacket over his nose. It did not alleviate the smell but it was better than nothing. At least the scent of his after-shave still clung to the fabric.

Lower City was definitely not the pristine, sterile world the Upper City was. Carth glanced around at the dirty, greasy streets, the barred windows, the multihued messages on the gray durasteel walls of buildings and sighed. He was not surprised at the rundown look everything had. He was used to the sight, having seen the seedier side of the galaxy during his tenure in the Republic Navy – and the seedier side of the galaxy's inhabitants. However he could never get used to the smell the less glamorous places on planets had.

"What an incredible smell you've discovered," he muttered through his jacket collar, for no other reason than to annoy her. Over the few weeks he had gotten to know her, he began to enjoy annoying her to no end. She gave as good as she got, keeping it interesting, and he reasoned that it kept her from asking too many questions. Questions he did not want to answer. He still did not trust her but he had increasingly became aware that he believed she was not the one who had betrayed the mission and informed the Sith of their flight plans. She had proven to him that she was no friend to the Sith numerous times already.

He watched as she stopped and spun to face him. The Sith uniform she wore glowed dully in the flickering light. He could not see it, but he was sure her face was contorted into an exasperated and frustrated frown.

"No one really likes a smart-aleck," he heard her mutter, the voice synthesizer making it more ominous than her normal tone.

Carth's eyebrows rose and a wicked grin crossed his face, though he was sure the collar hid it from Kaori. "Oh," he said, smugly. "I'll have you know I am quite the catch," he playfully informed her. He had to admit, since the hairless Wookiee comment, teasing Kaori to the point of frustration was fun.

"Catch for what?" she returned, her helmeted head tilted in such a way as to suggest confusion.

Carth knew perfectly well she understood him, but it would seem he had caught her in a playful mood. He snickered into his collar, grateful because just after the party at Yun's, Kaori had gotten very quiet and he would find her staring at the wall as if she could see past it. "I've been informed that the ladies love me," he retorted.

"Oh, really," Kaori challenged. "And were these informants drunk when they told you this."

Carth glared at her, annoyed. That was until he realized that the conversation had taken his mind off the stench and now it was just barely tolerable. Well, at least it was not making him queasy anymore. "Thanks," he said.

Kaori chuckled and slipped the helmet off. Carth noted that even though there was a smile on her face there was a twinge of sadness in her eyes. "My dad taught me that trick," she said, the sadness just evident in her voice.

"You love your father, don't you?" he asked, gently. He briefly considered leaning against the wall just outside the elevator doors but thought different when he noticed the layer of dirt and grime clinging to the once gray durasteel. He frowned and turned away from the brown and green wall and focused on Kaori as she answered.

Kaori stared off into the distance, conflicting emotions warring across her face. "Yes," she finally said, softly. "My father was a great man."

"Was?" Carth questioned, uncertain that he had heard her right.

Kaori stared at the metal of the street below them. "He died just before I started scouting."

An odd and somewhat painful expression swept across her face. Carth was a little perplexed and intrigued. He decided to find out just what that was all about. The sounds of a fight close by prevented him from doing just that. Military honed reflexes had him grabbing his blaster and getting a bead on where the noise was coming from.

* * *

Carth watched Kaori stop and tilt her head so that her left ear was closer to a darkened alcove just past where the thugs from the Vulkar gang they had been warned about, had attacked them. He frowned, wondering what had gotten into the scout. Then he heard it, a faint whimpering sound from in the dimness of the small space. He raised a hand to halt Kaori because he knew she would find out what the whimpering was about. He had seen this tendency before when she heard something whimpering in the janitor closet in their apartment complex earlier in the month. The thing had turned out to be a small duri from Corellia that someone in the complex had as a pet. 

Kaori stepped away before he could stop her and walked into the dim lighting. Carth snorted. This tendency would be the death of Kaori, he was sure of that. He blinked when she returned carrying a small bundle wrapped in a tattered cloth. He frowned at her questioningly, wondering just what she had found. He watched as she pulled back the lip of the cloth to reveal the face of a young, perhaps no older than two, female human child. The child saw Carth and shrank deeper into Kaori's embrace. Carth knew the child had been left on the streets as her clothing was thin and torn in places and the dirt and filth of not bathing for a while covered her from head to toe.

"Her name is Jayda," Kaori said. "She was hiding in there from some kids who loved to pick on her."

Carth caught the tone Kaori used and had the feeling the child would join their small band, if only for a small amount of time. He frowned, this time annoyed. War was not something one brought a young child into if one could help it, but he knew that the young one would have no one to look out for her or take care of her down here. The few families that lived down here were too strained trying to take care of their own to worry about another one and Carth knew that the gangs down here would only help the child if she proved useful to them in the long run, whether by joining them or something else, which was much worse in Carth's opinion.

"What do you want to do?" he asked Kaori, knowing that something must be done. He hoped she would say for them to take the child to the local adoption agency.

"Take her to Zelka and let him look her over," Kaori said. Carth nodded but her next words had him recoiling. "And then take her to the apartment."

"Kaori," he said. Getting the child out of the Lower City he could see but keeping the child was not something he really wanted. They still did not know where Bastila was and every day the Sith presence on the world increased. If they did not find the Jedi soon, Carth feared the Sith would and would also find them as well. He did not want the child to be caught up in that.

"Look Carth," Kaori said, stubbornly. "Navon and Shashi would watch her, I know that. And I don't trust Taris government to care about the welfare of a Lower City citizen."

Carth had to admit, Kaori had a point. Taris had shown over and over they only cared about those on the Upper City. The concerns of those on the lower levels were secondary to the rich beings on the top and those in the Undercity were forgotten altogether. He sighed. "So what are you going to do? We still have something to do." He did not want to reveal much out in the open of the street. Those who lived there might decide to use the information as a means to better their dismal lives.

"We'll take her back," Kaori said. "She needs medical attention right now. I know what we have to do is important but….." her voice trailed off as she glanced back down at the child.

Carth caught the look and shook his head. Kaori had already fallen for the tiny child. He glanced around and was grateful that no one was in view. "Come on," he said. "Let's get her to Zelka."

Kaori smiled and gestured for him to take the child so she could put the Sith armor on. She had taken if off just after the fight, stating that is was ungainly to wear it, not being used to it, and that it was just plain ugly. Carth took the child gently, feeling her thin frame tense. Carth hummed softly. It was an automatic response. He had done it many times before when- He blinked back tears that suddenly swam into his eyes. It seemed a lifetime ago since he had hummed to sooth a restless and fearful child. He felt a soft caress and glanced down to see Jayda lowering her hand. He smiled at her and felt his heart tug in response when the young one smiled back.

He glanced up to see Kaori watching him, a mixture of amusement and something he could not define lighting up her face before the blur of the silver helmet covered it up. She went to take the child back but the girl acted like she would cry. Kaori stepped back and Carth watched as the child began to look around for Kaori. He gestured that Kaori should head into the apartment complex nearby. They needed for the child to know that Kaori was the same inside the uniform or out, but he had to admit, he was glad Jayda did not trust the Sith. Possibly some of the Sith patrols had been near her. He shuddered to think how they treated the outcast child. Sith were not known for their compassion.

They found a green male Twi'lek in the apartment just off the doors. He seemed scared of Kaori until she removed the helmet, then he frowned and told her to leave. Kaori explained what was wrong and asked if they could stay there for the moment. The male thought about it for a moment.

"You may," the Twi'lek responded in Huttese, "if I may ask you a favor."

Kaori nodded and the male began to explain that he was on the local crimelord's hitlist after turning state evidence against him. He said that he had to hide in that apartment because Davik had placed a bounty on his head. Carth listened to the slow translation Kaori provided as his Huttese was a little rusty and some of the words the male said were unknown to him. Jayda shifted in his arms to stare at the Twi'lek.

"Greenie," she called.

The male Twi'lek looked up and smiled at Jayda. He rattled something off to Kaori and she blushed before shaking her head and responding. Carth blinked. He had caught the gist of that and if what he had heard was any indication he could understand why Kaori blushed. He felt his face warming to the comment as well. The male had assumed the child was theirs and wondered why she was as dirty as she was, or at least that was what Carth could understand.

The conversation continued while Carth pondered why an odd feeling swept through him at the thought of the two of them having a child. He mentally shook himself. No, he would never go down that path again. It led to painful memories and guilty feelings. Again he felt a soft caress from Jayda and glanced down to see her staring at him.

"Sad bad," she whispered, tapping him on the chin.

He smiled at her. "Yes, sadness is bad," he whispered in return. He glanced up to see Kaori staring at him and Jayda again, the same expression as before on her face. Out the corner of his eye he saw a knowing grin spread across the Twi'lek's face. He maneuvered to give Jayda back to Kaori and since the girl could see Kaori's face she willingly went.

"Nice lady," Jayda said laying her head onto Kaori's shoulder. Carth watched a soft smile cross Kaori's face and grinned. When Kaori carried Jayda towards the refresher, he watched them. As the door shut he glanced over and saw the Twi'lek watching him still grinning. He frowned at him before sitting down in the chair nearby.

* * *

"For a child left on the streets," Zelka said as he examined Jayda, "she's is not malnourished. She's not the weight that would be normal for her but she's not severely under weight. Maybe someone down there gave her food, not on a basis that I would like but she won't have to stay over for observation. You said you are going to take her to your apartment with those Daktins? Are you sure they can look after her while you are out?" 

"Yes," Kaori answered. "Shashi told me they had a cub before and even though a Daktin cub is different than a human they were sure they could keep her out of trouble while Carth and I are out."

Zelka nodded. Kaori could tell that he was not happy about the situation but that he would accept it. She smiled down at Jayda who was sitting on the examination table fiddling with the hem of her small tunic. They had found the outfit abandoned in the closet of the apartment, just before having to blow it up to fake the Twi'lek's death. Jayda had buried her face into Kaori's shoulder and clung to Carth's arm when the explosion rocked the apartment complex. No one looked out to see what the cause of the disturbance was because before they had blown the apartment they had explored it, with Matrik keeping an eye on Jayda who was sleeping, and rooted out the gang members and saved the sole human who was hiding from Davik's bounty hunters. Carth still could not believe Kaori had given the man two hundred credits to pay the crimelord.

"Carth," Kaori said.

Carth looked up from the holozine he had been looking through on health and fitness and saw her standing by the examination table, Jayda sitting on her hip playing with Kaori's braid. He nodded and placed the device back on the side table and stood. They made their way out of the small medical facility. Carth had noticed that while when they were walking around before the Sith would watched them. Now the soldiers paid little attention to them.

"We go?" Jayda asked, drawing Carth's attention back to the small group.

"Yes, Jayda we're going," Kaori answered, smiling at the little girl.

"I go too?" Jayda asked and Carth felt his heart tug at the hopeful tone in her voice. He leaned over and softly caressed her cheek before answering her question.

"Yes, you're going too."

Jayda smiled and laid her head on Kaori's shoulder. She sighed softly and Carth caught the glance Kaori sent him. He smiled and ran a hand through Jayda's brown hair. The little girl smiled and buried deeper into Kaori's embrace. Carth notice a human female pass by a smile on her face before she whispered to her companion and gestured his and Kaori's way.

"Come," Carth said, placing his hand on Kaori's back. "Let's get her home."

He said that to not draw any more attention to them, but a strange feeling swept through him at the thought of home. For four years, home had been the next ship he had been assigned on. He rarely took planet leave, even when given a strong suggestion to do so. Home as he had once known it was gone, forever.

* * *

"Well," Navon said when they walked in, "who's this little one?" 

Jayda buried her face into Kaori's neck. Kaori soothed her, rubbing her back and whispering in the little female cub's ear while Carth explained. Navon blinked and glanced at Shashi who was sitting on the sleeping pelts, knowing she felt like he did. Kaori sat the little cub down after she had calmed her and Navon lay down so his height compared to hers and his bulk would not scare her more. He let the cub come to him at her own pace, knowing that any sudden movement on his part would upset her again. The little cub stepped closer and held her hand out. Navon just watched her. The human cub gently gripped his left horn and tugged it. Navon let his head follow the tug. With her other hand she reached out and placed it on his nose.

"Softie," she said.

Navon smiled. The cub sat down and played with his paw. Out the corner of his eye he saw Shashi smile. The cub noticed the other one as well and squealed.

"New softie." Navon watched as a twinge of pain entered his mate's eyes and felt tears well up in his eyes. The cub stood up and walked over to Shashi. "Softies have name?" she asked looking back at Kaori.

Navon watched as Kaori knelt down in front of the cub and smiled. It would seem his cub had found herself one. He looked over at Shashi. She nodded. He turned to Carth and saw the human male watching Kaori and her cub conversing softly. Presently, Kaori stood and gestured to the cub.

"This is Jayda," she said. "She's going to be staying with us."

"Hello, Jayda," Navon said. He nodded towards Shashi. "That's Shashi and I'm Navon, nice to meet you."

"Softie," Jayda said. "Nice softie." Navon smiled.

"Jayda," Kaori said. "Carth and I have to go out. You are going to stay with the softies."

Navon watched an expression cross the cub's face. From experience he knew the cub was worried, even if human features were completely different from that of a Daktin. He glanced at Shashi and smiled. Not only would it seem that their cub had found one of her own but it would seem the cub had accepted Kaori. He shuddered to think how the cub's life was like before Kaori found her. He saw Shashi close her eyes and knew that this was hard on her. It was hard on him as well. He closed the distance and nuzzled her neck while Kaori and Carth explained to Jayda that they had to leave for awhile.

"I'm sorry," he whispered softly. Shashi did not respond for a moment. Navon just stood there, knowing that he could not say anything more.

"It wasn't your fault," she finally whispered, her voice choked with what Navon guessed was tears. His heart broke again at the sound.

"Navon," Kaori's voice broke the moment and Navon flicked his ear towards her, not wanting her, Carth, or the cub to see his or Shashi's tears. He was grateful when Kaori continued. "Carth and I are going back to the Lower City for awhile. We'll be back before the midnight hour."

Navon only nodded. He heard Kaori tell Jayda to behave and then heard the door open and close. A few minutes after that he felt a tiny furless paw tap him on the shoulder. He lifted his head and turned his head so that he could see Jayda standing there. He smiled at her and lay down. Jayda sat down and leaned against him. Soon he heard the soft snoring that indicated the cub was asleep. He looked up at Shashi as she lay down next to him and leaned against him.

* * *

The stench of the sewers washed over the group in a rushing wave, causing Carth to cover his mouth and Kaori to cough. Mission Vao, the blue-skinned female Twi'lek did not seemed fazed by it. Carth guessed that she was used to it from having explored the labyrinth of the dimly lit metalworks. Creaks, wails, and moans wafted up, sending chills down Carth's spine. He hated going into sewers after having to do so once earlier in his military career. He was a young man, full of bravado and grit until he met one to the denizens of the sewers on Coruscant. After that night, he avoided sewers like the Bandonian Plague. 

He watched Kaori hesitate and frowned. She had never done that before. She would charge in, heedless of the danger. He wondered what held her now. He shrugged it off as the belief that no one would blindly rush into a sewer, well no one would who was cautious. He waited until Mission followed, and after one final glance around to make sure no one was tailing them, he descended into a world few had ever seen.

As they made their way down swaying and creaking metal walkways, he grumbled under his breath that the Vulkars should have their collective heads examined for having a back door to their base in the sewer system. Lower, so Kaori could not hear him, he grumbled about inquisitive women. He was dirty, tired, and irritable and the wailing and moaning did not help to alleviate his frustrations. They rounded a grimy corner and skidded to a halt before a sole male Gamorrean. Carth leveled his blasters, half expecting Kaori to charge in just like before. When he did not see the silvery glint of her vibroblade, he glanced over to find her standing frozen and all the color drained out of her face.

"Kaori!" he heard Mission yell.

His eyes grew round as the big male Gamorrean decided to take advantage of Kaori's inability to fight. He charged her, vibroaxe bearing down in a killing swipe. Instinct took over and Carth fired, catching the male straight between the eyes. The Gamorrean squealed and fell, the vibroaxe landing on the durasteel walkway with a resounding metallic clang!

Carth grabbed Kaori by the shoulder and spun her around to face him. He instantly noticed her eyes were shut tight and felt how tense she was. "What do you think you are doing?" he demanded, worry over why she had frozen making the question harsher than intended.

"Don't hit me," Kaori whispered, her voice strained.

"Hit you?" Carth asked, anger that she endangered herself giving way to confusion. "I'm not going to hit you." Kaori seemed to shake herself mentally. She opened her eyes and Carth could see lingering fear and pain in the gray depths, though it was muffled by a dazed look. "Kaori, what is it? What's wrong?"

She did not seem to hear him. "Let me go," she whispered.

"No," he said, "now tell me what's wrong."

"You're hurting me."

"Kaori, I'm barely holding you."

"Stop hurting me."

"I'm not hurting you. What's wrong?" Carth watched as the haze disappeared from her eyes and the bright shine he had come to associate with her blazed forth.

"Why are we standing around?" Kaori asked, sounding like her old self.

"Kaori, what's wrong?" Carth asked after sharing a glance with Mission.

"Nothing," Kaori shrugged, knocking Carth's hand off her shoulder in the process. "Come on," she continued, stepping away form the pilot.

Carth noticed she gave the Gamorrean as wide a berth as the narrow walkway allowed. He glanced at Mission again as Kaori continued down the tunnel. The young female looked like he felt – lost and completely confused.


End file.
